Re: Hypersonic Vehichles

I am currently studying for my Masters degree, and for my thesis I have elected to validate a CFD package and determine whether it is capable of accurately simulating a hypersonic vehicle with a scramjet engine on it. For now the engine will be off, but the future will see the engine turned on (That is someone elses thesis the engine part).

I was going to study the X-43 (Hyper-X) but the University got told to stop working on it, as this is now classified.

Therefore I am wondering if anyone knows of any hypersonic vehicles with a scramjet built in, with data available at hypersonic speeds? All I have found so far is upto Mach 4, and nothing above.

The University of Queensland have a Centre for Hypersonics, they have flight tested a hypersonic vehicle upto mach 8, called Hyshot. AFAIK it is the world's first successful in flight test of a scramjet. The Aussies tend to be a helpful lot, so ask them nicely and they might help you out... Out of interest, where are you doing your Masters at ?

OOOO By the way Simon, just so I do not confuse you. I am a Master's student at the University of Manchester in England, but I am doing an industrial placement as part of my Master's at a NASA University Research Center in the United States.

And the laboratory got told that the X-43 had to be stopped being worked on just as I started my placement. So do not ask me why NASA told us to stop, I just automatically assumed it was classified information since I read a NASA press release that they had the ok to fly the X-43 again after the investigation panel found what went wrong.

I have just been spending the last few months, helping with other projects, and now I have to get mine own project moving, I am struggling to find a replacement aircraft to model. So thank you very much for the hint that the Aussies might be more helpful.

This may or may not be useful, but I've heard that Johns Hopkins University is doing research on several scramjet projects. If the Hyshot project turns out to not be what you are looking for, you could try talking to some people at JHU. Good luck,